Tuesday 10/4/2011
Occupy Wall Street - REALLY???!
Before I go any further I would like to say that my views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and are not the opinions of ChicagoPride.Com, GoPride.Com or any of its staff.
I would also like to preface that my industry was severely affected by the financial collapse in 08 as I am in real estate sales and was rehabbing houses before the crash of the market.
Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Chicago, Occupy LA...it continues. I visited the websites for these groups and was a bit puzzled when I did not find any direction. These groups appear to have very short mission statements such as the following from OccupyWallSt.org "In Solidarity, and as a response to this call, a planning group was formed {occupywallst.org} and an info sharing site established. The participation of every person, and every organization, that has an interest in returning the US back into the hands of it's individual citizens is required." This means what exactly? This is your statement defining you?
For the past two weeks I have been biting my tongue wanting to say something about this "movement" and I have not. I did not want to give any fuel to what I believe is a severely misguided attempt to "improve the economic status for the 99% of the country" but after seeing so many recent Facebook posts on this topic and listening to interviews of protestors I could not hold back any longer.
Outside of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago signs are held tall with sayings about 'stopping corporate greed' and 'ending the oppression of the lower classes' primarily by people holding Starbucks coffee (Jamba Juice or Caribou too), with iPhones in their pockets and Mackbooks in their backpacks. Now really, where is the sense here? Where is the consistency with the message?
These groups are quick to yell at the "evil corporations" and want "democracy restored and given to the people" yet they offer no solutions at all. The only solution they seem to offer is standing on the corner in protest, sleeping in the parks, and waking up and doing it all over again. If you do have solutions Occupy Wall Street, then why don't you broadcast them on your website, on your signs or on your blogs?
Occupy Wall Street loves to talk about the "bank bailouts" yet they have no idea what the "bank bailouts" truly involved. They do not understand the implementation of items such as Tarp money. They do not understand the workings of the Fed or the FOMC. If they do understand these things then they have chosen not to show it through their writings, their websites, blogs, and interviews. They fail to understand the true causes of the financial collapse. They do not understand financial products which lead to the massive constriction of credit markets such as Mortgage Backed Securities, Credit Default Swaps and Collateralized Debt Obligations. They don't understand things such as the commercial paper market or even something simple such as the differences between municipal and corporate bonds. They don't understand these things not because of their professions outside of finance, not because they don't posses the intelligence but because they simply do not care. It is so much easier to point a finger and yell at someone in a $3,000 suit than it is to educate yourself. However, if you are going to accuse corporations of corruption, banks of robbing the American people and executives of such awful wrongdoings that they should be imprisoned, then I believe you should know all these things that I mentioned so you can understand how the financial system works and make an informed decision.
Sad stories are told of young adults graduation from college with degrees and not being able to find jobs and now riddled with debt. Yes it is sad and very frustrating however, last time I checked a college education didn't automatically mean that you had a job waiting for you. Apparently others think differently. Sometimes life is hard, sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you can't just walk into college, study hard, get a 4 year degree and then get a job right away.
What is truly aggravating is hearing these protestors compare the US to countries in the middle east that have recently had uprisings. Are you kidding me? Comparisons cannot even begin to be made and those who are making these comparisons have no idea how good they have it here in the US.
Whatever happened to people improvising when times got hard? Oh it is still out there. I see it every day and it is a great thing. People putting themselves through school, a single mom holding down two jobs, etc. However, I am also seeing more people become complacent and allow aggravation over a system that doesn't favor them take control of their lives so much that they choose to just give up. I've seen the change even in the past decade in the simplest of things. I used to get off the expressway in certain areas of the city and have someone trying to wash my windshield for a couple of dollars. As annoying as it may sometimes be, it also was very much welcome on some winter days when my windshield was covered with salt from the winter roads. However, I don't even see much of this anymore. Instead, the window washer has been replaced by someone holding a cup, or holding a sign.
Life is not meant to be easy. Some of us were dealt great cards and given great opportunities while others have shit luck and may be living on the streets. But it doesn't matter what cards you were dealt. What matters is how you play your hand. There are also plenty of people in 3rd world countries that would love to be holding the hand of cards you were dealt, no matter how bad they may be for you.
It is a very sad thing to see someone who worked all their life lose their job and be left with nothing. The parents who have 3 kids and get laid-off, the single mother who now has to go on food stamps because her company cut 3,000 jobs....I could go on and on. The families and the people who get out of these situations are the ones that do something about it. It may suck and it may be hard, but they work through it. They find a way. It may mean moving in with family until they're back on their feet and for some it may mean a homeless shelter or even worse. But for those who get angry, stomp their feet and yell at the "evil corporations" and just give up...I'm sorry, but there is no hope for you.
At the end of the day, yes, there are many problems plaguing our country. We have a congress that is absolutely useless; we have a president who speaks more rhetoric than a rhetoric professor and we have a country that is quickly dividing over basic core issues. We have a broken social security system that the majority of politicians do not understand and a Medicare and Medicaid system that is slow, expensive and confusing to anyone on it. We have rising health care costs for a myriad of reasons and we have regulation that is choking businesses across all industries and across the country. There is not one correct answer to any of these problems. But what is definitely not right are ignorant allegations, ignorant speeches and ignorant protests which are clogging up daily life in cities across the country and annoying the hell out of people with a basic understanding of finance and economics (yes it is their constitutional right to protest and that I will of course always defend no matter what their message is).
There are real problems that need to be dealt with but we need real solutions from people with a real understanding of how economics, business and America works.
I would also like to preface that my industry was severely affected by the financial collapse in 08 as I am in real estate sales and was rehabbing houses before the crash of the market.
Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Chicago, Occupy LA...it continues. I visited the websites for these groups and was a bit puzzled when I did not find any direction. These groups appear to have very short mission statements such as the following from OccupyWallSt.org "In Solidarity, and as a response to this call, a planning group was formed {occupywallst.org} and an info sharing site established. The participation of every person, and every organization, that has an interest in returning the US back into the hands of it's individual citizens is required." This means what exactly? This is your statement defining you?
For the past two weeks I have been biting my tongue wanting to say something about this "movement" and I have not. I did not want to give any fuel to what I believe is a severely misguided attempt to "improve the economic status for the 99% of the country" but after seeing so many recent Facebook posts on this topic and listening to interviews of protestors I could not hold back any longer.
Outside of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago signs are held tall with sayings about 'stopping corporate greed' and 'ending the oppression of the lower classes' primarily by people holding Starbucks coffee (Jamba Juice or Caribou too), with iPhones in their pockets and Mackbooks in their backpacks. Now really, where is the sense here? Where is the consistency with the message?
These groups are quick to yell at the "evil corporations" and want "democracy restored and given to the people" yet they offer no solutions at all. The only solution they seem to offer is standing on the corner in protest, sleeping in the parks, and waking up and doing it all over again. If you do have solutions Occupy Wall Street, then why don't you broadcast them on your website, on your signs or on your blogs?
Occupy Wall Street loves to talk about the "bank bailouts" yet they have no idea what the "bank bailouts" truly involved. They do not understand the implementation of items such as Tarp money. They do not understand the workings of the Fed or the FOMC. If they do understand these things then they have chosen not to show it through their writings, their websites, blogs, and interviews. They fail to understand the true causes of the financial collapse. They do not understand financial products which lead to the massive constriction of credit markets such as Mortgage Backed Securities, Credit Default Swaps and Collateralized Debt Obligations. They don't understand things such as the commercial paper market or even something simple such as the differences between municipal and corporate bonds. They don't understand these things not because of their professions outside of finance, not because they don't posses the intelligence but because they simply do not care. It is so much easier to point a finger and yell at someone in a $3,000 suit than it is to educate yourself. However, if you are going to accuse corporations of corruption, banks of robbing the American people and executives of such awful wrongdoings that they should be imprisoned, then I believe you should know all these things that I mentioned so you can understand how the financial system works and make an informed decision.
Sad stories are told of young adults graduation from college with degrees and not being able to find jobs and now riddled with debt. Yes it is sad and very frustrating however, last time I checked a college education didn't automatically mean that you had a job waiting for you. Apparently others think differently. Sometimes life is hard, sometimes it sucks. Sometimes you can't just walk into college, study hard, get a 4 year degree and then get a job right away.
What is truly aggravating is hearing these protestors compare the US to countries in the middle east that have recently had uprisings. Are you kidding me? Comparisons cannot even begin to be made and those who are making these comparisons have no idea how good they have it here in the US.
Whatever happened to people improvising when times got hard? Oh it is still out there. I see it every day and it is a great thing. People putting themselves through school, a single mom holding down two jobs, etc. However, I am also seeing more people become complacent and allow aggravation over a system that doesn't favor them take control of their lives so much that they choose to just give up. I've seen the change even in the past decade in the simplest of things. I used to get off the expressway in certain areas of the city and have someone trying to wash my windshield for a couple of dollars. As annoying as it may sometimes be, it also was very much welcome on some winter days when my windshield was covered with salt from the winter roads. However, I don't even see much of this anymore. Instead, the window washer has been replaced by someone holding a cup, or holding a sign.
Life is not meant to be easy. Some of us were dealt great cards and given great opportunities while others have shit luck and may be living on the streets. But it doesn't matter what cards you were dealt. What matters is how you play your hand. There are also plenty of people in 3rd world countries that would love to be holding the hand of cards you were dealt, no matter how bad they may be for you.
It is a very sad thing to see someone who worked all their life lose their job and be left with nothing. The parents who have 3 kids and get laid-off, the single mother who now has to go on food stamps because her company cut 3,000 jobs....I could go on and on. The families and the people who get out of these situations are the ones that do something about it. It may suck and it may be hard, but they work through it. They find a way. It may mean moving in with family until they're back on their feet and for some it may mean a homeless shelter or even worse. But for those who get angry, stomp their feet and yell at the "evil corporations" and just give up...I'm sorry, but there is no hope for you.
At the end of the day, yes, there are many problems plaguing our country. We have a congress that is absolutely useless; we have a president who speaks more rhetoric than a rhetoric professor and we have a country that is quickly dividing over basic core issues. We have a broken social security system that the majority of politicians do not understand and a Medicare and Medicaid system that is slow, expensive and confusing to anyone on it. We have rising health care costs for a myriad of reasons and we have regulation that is choking businesses across all industries and across the country. There is not one correct answer to any of these problems. But what is definitely not right are ignorant allegations, ignorant speeches and ignorant protests which are clogging up daily life in cities across the country and annoying the hell out of people with a basic understanding of finance and economics (yes it is their constitutional right to protest and that I will of course always defend no matter what their message is).
There are real problems that need to be dealt with but we need real solutions from people with a real understanding of how economics, business and America works.
One of the biggest things that I have heard various Occupy "name of city" protester complaining about is corporate money in politics. Many of them speak about wanting to see real campaign finance reform, and a reversal of the Citizens United verdict. It is a protest/occupation to try to bring to light aspects of the "system" (be it financial or political) that is no longer serving the best interests of the majority of people. And yes, each citizen has a vote. But when both viable canidates have taken huge sums of money from corporations, it is my opinion that those politicians become beholden to those coporate interests rather than the American people. And speaking as a citizen who writes her representatives, has yet to miss a single opportunity to vote, and thoroughly educates myself on the issues and canidates for whom I am voting, I feel I have a choice between bad and worse. So I'm following the money and a substantial portion of money in politics came from Wall St.
And BTW Occupy Wall Street has published a list of "demands" so to speak that can be found on the site
http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-please-help-editadd-so-th/
#1 is re-enacting Glass-Steagall
#3 is campaign finance/citizens united
You say that Occupy Wall Street loves to talk about bank bail-outs but doesn't know what they're talking about. I would say the same about your quick to catagorize and dismiss attitude toward these protests. It's not just the bail-outs it's a much larger faulty system.
And BTW Occupy Wall Street has published a list of "demands" so to speak that can be found on the site
http://occupywallst.org/forum/proposed-list-of-demands-please-help-editadd-so-th/
#1 is re-enacting Glass-Steagall
#3 is campaign finance/citizens united
You say that Occupy Wall Street loves to talk about bank bail-outs but doesn't know what they're talking about. I would say the same about your quick to catagorize and dismiss attitude toward these protests. It's not just the bail-outs it's a much larger faulty system.
-
PaulBlackburn
Total blog posts: 1
MyPride friends: 1
I just went to the link you provided. Not only are these demands extremely vague (with the exception of the first demand referencing the Glass-Steagall) they are full of rhetoric. Saying things such as "Hire people who get things done" is not exactly the way you qualify someone. The idea of prosecuting crimes by bankers that illegally profited off the crash is laughable at best. The very few who did illegally profit are currently being prosecuted, I'm sure a few got away but they're not the same people who the protestors are thinking.
While this list shows that whoever wrote it can regurgitate definitions it does not show any clear understanding of the financial system, systemic risk which was avoided by the "bailout" or things of the sort. However, more importantly it is way above the heads of the majority of the people who have chosen to sleep in parks and protest on the streets 7days a week for almost a month now.
While this list shows that whoever wrote it can regurgitate definitions it does not show any clear understanding of the financial system, systemic risk which was avoided by the "bailout" or things of the sort. However, more importantly it is way above the heads of the majority of the people who have chosen to sleep in parks and protest on the streets 7days a week for almost a month now.
I agree with you on the rhetoric, however so much of politics has become rhetoric and hyperbole that I have a hard time criticizing these protestors for engaging in it as well. The truth is, we live in a sound bite culture, though it doesn't help their cause to be part of the problem in that respect.
I don't see the demands as being overly vague. Granted they are not fully fleshed out pieces of legislation, but most (not all) are pretty clear.
#3 Enacting legislation to reverse the effects of the Citizens United verdict. Any person who has a reasonable grasp on the effects that verdict had on campaign finance should be able to grasp what reform is being sought with this request.
#4 Passing the "Buffet Rule" on fair taxation and closing corporate loopholes. Warren Buffet has outlined a taxation strategy but in the interest of brevity I suspect they didn't find it necessary to describe the entire thing. And tax loopholes are hardly a vague concept. Did you want a specific list?
#5 You're completely right, this is vague
#6 Not going to argue, it's better than 5, but not by much.
#7 Passing "revolving door" legislation was actually one of the concepts that President Obama campaign on, and I suspect why it was not thought necessary to explain it more than they did.
#8 Though not a duplicate I think could be handled in conjunction with #3
As for prosecuting bankers, unfortunately a lot of what was done that contributed to the financial crisis was not technically illegal. But some of it was. When the S&L crisis happened there were a substantial amount of prosecutions, and though they are VERY different, I understand the desire of the masses to see more people brought to justice. What is forgotten by a lot of people protesting Wall Street is that S&L prosecutions took a long time to investigate and prosecute and we may see more as time goes on and investigations continue.
A good link showing a bare bones comparison is:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/04/14/business/20110414-prosecute.html?ref=business
And as for bail-outs, I thought they were necessary and even wrote my representatives to say just that. However, I expected to see regulations put in place for the future to ensure that a financial crisis like this never happened again. Instead we got the Dodd-Frank bill and the Consumer Protections Bureau, which have thus far been very ineffective.
I don't see the demands as being overly vague. Granted they are not fully fleshed out pieces of legislation, but most (not all) are pretty clear.
#3 Enacting legislation to reverse the effects of the Citizens United verdict. Any person who has a reasonable grasp on the effects that verdict had on campaign finance should be able to grasp what reform is being sought with this request.
#4 Passing the "Buffet Rule" on fair taxation and closing corporate loopholes. Warren Buffet has outlined a taxation strategy but in the interest of brevity I suspect they didn't find it necessary to describe the entire thing. And tax loopholes are hardly a vague concept. Did you want a specific list?
#5 You're completely right, this is vague
#6 Not going to argue, it's better than 5, but not by much.
#7 Passing "revolving door" legislation was actually one of the concepts that President Obama campaign on, and I suspect why it was not thought necessary to explain it more than they did.
#8 Though not a duplicate I think could be handled in conjunction with #3
As for prosecuting bankers, unfortunately a lot of what was done that contributed to the financial crisis was not technically illegal. But some of it was. When the S&L crisis happened there were a substantial amount of prosecutions, and though they are VERY different, I understand the desire of the masses to see more people brought to justice. What is forgotten by a lot of people protesting Wall Street is that S&L prosecutions took a long time to investigate and prosecute and we may see more as time goes on and investigations continue.
A good link showing a bare bones comparison is:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/04/14/business/20110414-prosecute.html?ref=business
And as for bail-outs, I thought they were necessary and even wrote my representatives to say just that. However, I expected to see regulations put in place for the future to ensure that a financial crisis like this never happened again. Instead we got the Dodd-Frank bill and the Consumer Protections Bureau, which have thus far been very ineffective.
Friday 9/23/2011
DADT - Republican Debate
The below video has been circling around the internet this morning. It shows a small clip of the recent Republican debate where Rick Santorum is asked a question via YouTube from a soldier. The Soldier brought up the topic of Don't Ask Don't Tell. If you haven't watched it, click on the following link for the article and read and watch.
Video & Article
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/republican-debate-dadt-repeal-rick-santorum_n_977105.html
Here are my thoughts:
The very second a brave man and woman makes the decision to enlist in any branch of the military they are braver and stronger than I or the majority of Americans will ever be. The sacrifice they are willing to make for our country is incredible. At no point, under any circumstances, no matter what political views or affiliations you have should you ever "Boo" a soldier or a veteran. No matter what your thoughts are on the wars we partake in we need to support our troops on EVERY level. This level includes supporting who they are and their decisions to live their lives as they see fit. This includes everything from getting married before they're deployed to being gay. I am not here to bash Rick Santorum, he has a right to his opinion, even though some of the soldiers currently fighting to protect that right are gay. Who I have a major major disgust for are the audience members that said "Boo" when the video was aired.
These audience members made this decision not because of their political affiliation but because of their lack of respect for those in the Armed Forces. That is reprehensible and unforgivable in my book.
The issue of Don't Ask Don't Tell ranked very high for me for two reasons. First, it is a slap in the face of the LGBT community. Secondly, and I think most important, it showed a complete lack of respect for the men and women that protect us.
A member of the military has plenty of things to worry about and plenty of things to concentrate on. They worry about their families and friends at home, wondering if they will ever see them again. For those not in hostile grounds and serving stateside, they still spend many months away from their families. The last thing they need to worry about is whether or not someone is going to find out they're gay.
We live in a country where we can't turn on the TV without some idiot politician trying to grab votes of the masses by preaching how we need to increase funding for every program under the sun to improve the lives of our citizens. First, however, we need to improve the lives of those protecting our citizens.
This comes from basic respect. This very important group of people should be the last group that sees a tax increase, the last group that gets their benefits cut, the last group that has inferior working conditions/protection, and the last group that should be disrespected by some arrogant assholes sitting in the audience at a debate. A debate where security outside is more than likely provided by some branch of the military. I don't care to get an apology from Rick Santorum. I want to see an apology from those in the audience. This should not be an apology for those in the LGBT community; instead it needs to be an apology to the soldier on the video tape and to all men and woman fighting to protect our freedom. How dare anyone disrespect them by shouting and making noises so childish.
Video & Article
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/republican-debate-dadt-repeal-rick-santorum_n_977105.html
Here are my thoughts:
The very second a brave man and woman makes the decision to enlist in any branch of the military they are braver and stronger than I or the majority of Americans will ever be. The sacrifice they are willing to make for our country is incredible. At no point, under any circumstances, no matter what political views or affiliations you have should you ever "Boo" a soldier or a veteran. No matter what your thoughts are on the wars we partake in we need to support our troops on EVERY level. This level includes supporting who they are and their decisions to live their lives as they see fit. This includes everything from getting married before they're deployed to being gay. I am not here to bash Rick Santorum, he has a right to his opinion, even though some of the soldiers currently fighting to protect that right are gay. Who I have a major major disgust for are the audience members that said "Boo" when the video was aired.
These audience members made this decision not because of their political affiliation but because of their lack of respect for those in the Armed Forces. That is reprehensible and unforgivable in my book.
The issue of Don't Ask Don't Tell ranked very high for me for two reasons. First, it is a slap in the face of the LGBT community. Secondly, and I think most important, it showed a complete lack of respect for the men and women that protect us.
A member of the military has plenty of things to worry about and plenty of things to concentrate on. They worry about their families and friends at home, wondering if they will ever see them again. For those not in hostile grounds and serving stateside, they still spend many months away from their families. The last thing they need to worry about is whether or not someone is going to find out they're gay.
We live in a country where we can't turn on the TV without some idiot politician trying to grab votes of the masses by preaching how we need to increase funding for every program under the sun to improve the lives of our citizens. First, however, we need to improve the lives of those protecting our citizens.
This comes from basic respect. This very important group of people should be the last group that sees a tax increase, the last group that gets their benefits cut, the last group that has inferior working conditions/protection, and the last group that should be disrespected by some arrogant assholes sitting in the audience at a debate. A debate where security outside is more than likely provided by some branch of the military. I don't care to get an apology from Rick Santorum. I want to see an apology from those in the audience. This should not be an apology for those in the LGBT community; instead it needs to be an apology to the soldier on the video tape and to all men and woman fighting to protect our freedom. How dare anyone disrespect them by shouting and making noises so childish.
I'm so proud of you. MOM
You are much too kind to the likes of Rick Santorum. He is the ultimate hypocrite when he says there is no place for discussion about sexuality in the military and that DADT works just fine. Really????? Well then, if that's the case, then why have they discharged thousands of soldiers on the MERE SUSPICION of being gay? Read about Germany in the early 20's and compare the rhetoric to the far right Republicans of today. Then substitute the word "gay" for the word "Jew". It is strikingly similar.
"These audience members made this decision not because of their political affiliation but because of their lack of respect for those in the Armed Forces. That is reprehensible and unforgivable in my book. "
i could not agree more...
-Beth
i could not agree more...
-Beth
Tuesday 9/20/2011
DADT - It's Official! Check Out This Video!
Well it is now official that it has been repealed. With this being said here is a video of what appears to be a soldier currently in Germany calling his father in Alabama to tell him he is gay. I absolutely loved this video and think you will too.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVAgz6iyK6A&feature=player_embedded
In case the link doesn't work when clicking you can copy and paste the link above.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVAgz6iyK6A&feature=player_embedded
In case the link doesn't work when clicking you can copy and paste the link above.
Friday 9/16/2011
ROSIE O'DONNELL BUYS HOME IN LAKEVIEW
According to Crain's Chicago Business (referencing a Chicago Tribune Article), Rosie O'Donnell has put a home under contract in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. It is said that the home had a list price of $2,500,000 and was approximately 6,000sf. Furthermore, the article stated that the current owner of the home is a Harpo executive. Well, I did a little digging on the web and believe I found the exact home that she is purchasing. Check out the link to my real estate blog below to see my exact article on the topic and of course a few photos of her new digs.
Rosie also told studio audiences that she is purchasing the home fully furnished. Not bad, makes for a nice easy transition don't you think?
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ARTICLE AND PHOTOS OF WHAT I BELIEVE IS ROSIE'S NEW HOME!
IF LINK DOESN'T WORK WWW.THECHICAGOREALTYBLOG.COM
Rosie also told studio audiences that she is purchasing the home fully furnished. Not bad, makes for a nice easy transition don't you think?
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ARTICLE AND PHOTOS OF WHAT I BELIEVE IS ROSIE'S NEW HOME!
IF LINK DOESN'T WORK WWW.THECHICAGOREALTYBLOG.COM
Saturday 9/3/2011
GLADD GIVE ME A BREAK
Recently Amanda Fairbanks wrote an article in the Huffington Post entitled "Sex For Tuition: Gay Male College Students Using 'Sugar Daddies' To Pay Off Loan Debt." GLAAD however, found this article to be in poor taste and called for for its retraction and an apology from the Huffington Post.
I read this article; all the way through and think you should too before you take GLAAD's word for it. CLICK HERE to read the article.
Personally, I did not find the article offensive, shocking, or appalling at all. The fact remains, that this stuff does go on! Whether we want to admit it or not, it does happen. Furthermore, it is fairly acceptable in our community. It might be looked down upon, but it is still accepted to a certain degree. The article was not negative or down-putting of anyone whether you are a "Sugar Daddy" or a "Sugar Baby." Instead, the article simply interviewed different people in different stages of their lives in different parts of the country. Never once did the author speak ill of the gay community.
GLAAD is an organization that should be involved in real problems in the press, in government, in schools and other areas of our lives instead of trying to squash the First Amendment of the Constitution; the same Constitution which we, as the LGBT community are trying to use to gain our own freedoms and equal rights. GLAAD you are no exception, you must play by the rules too. If you don't like the article because it brings to light many stereotypes in our community which are in fact true, then that is your problem. Do not try to silence this journalist and this article, no matter how "shoddy" you think the article may be.
I read this article; all the way through and think you should too before you take GLAAD's word for it. CLICK HERE to read the article.
Personally, I did not find the article offensive, shocking, or appalling at all. The fact remains, that this stuff does go on! Whether we want to admit it or not, it does happen. Furthermore, it is fairly acceptable in our community. It might be looked down upon, but it is still accepted to a certain degree. The article was not negative or down-putting of anyone whether you are a "Sugar Daddy" or a "Sugar Baby." Instead, the article simply interviewed different people in different stages of their lives in different parts of the country. Never once did the author speak ill of the gay community.
GLAAD is an organization that should be involved in real problems in the press, in government, in schools and other areas of our lives instead of trying to squash the First Amendment of the Constitution; the same Constitution which we, as the LGBT community are trying to use to gain our own freedoms and equal rights. GLAAD you are no exception, you must play by the rules too. If you don't like the article because it brings to light many stereotypes in our community which are in fact true, then that is your problem. Do not try to silence this journalist and this article, no matter how "shoddy" you think the article may be.
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